Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1)

Monday, March 13, 2006

Bait & Switch "Worldview"

The moment "worldview" enters the modern vocabulary, it is immediately entrapping. This is because this word itself is nebulous. It can easily be defined one way by the speaker and another way by the hearer. (It is not a term found in the Scriptures.)

In the modern neo-evangelical lexicon, "worldview" is a word rapidly gaining in both power and influence. The phrases "biblical worldview" or "Christian worldview" are used by many ministries and leaders as a tool to hook people into the Transition stage, leading them into Transformation. This term is frequently employed as a "bait and switch." One is hooked into the process by the use a few good-sounding Bible verses, or by evoking feelings of patriotism, or through an appeal for evangelism.

But this term "worldview" turns out to have an "agenda." Take a few nibbles on the "worldview" worm dangling from the hook, and you rapidly discover this "agenda." And you may not LIKE it!

One of the more blatant examples of this "bait and switch" technique moves the listener rapidly into a total dominionist Transformation agenda. Below is a transcript of introductory remarks posted at http://tinyurl.com/erc5u, on a www.swissamerica.com webpage (David Bradshaw and James Rutz), entitled "'What's Your Worldview?' FREE CD Offer" -- "So, clear your mind and spirit of worldly confusion and join me in resonating with 'the sound' of The Big Picture. (2:30 Sample)"

"Your worldview is very important.

"Your worldview is very important.

"For years I labored under the idea that the dirty old world, it could go to hell.

"I save a few sinners here and there but I was waiting to get out of it.

"Jesus said in his speech praying to His father, He said, 'Father, these men you gave me, they’re in the world.' But He says, 'I, I’ve taken them out of the world.'

"How you can be in it and out of it at the same time, there’s a paradox.

"He says, 'They’re in it physically, but I’ve taken them out of it spiritually and morally.'

"Then he says a third thing. He said, 'Father, they’re in the world and I’ve taken them out of it and they’re not of me.'

"Sounds a lot like... up until now...that guy I, like that 'I hope you’re not going any further.'

"I am because Jesus did.

"See a lot of us like it right there. I’ve been taken out of the world, and He’s saved me and I’m not of the world, and I’m not going to touch it. And I’m just ready to go now just any minute Lord and get out of the whole stinkin’ business.

"But the fourth preposition is this: as you sent me into the world so have I sent them into the world.

"Taken out of the world.

"The world taken out of you.

"No longer being on the world.

"You’re a candidate now to go back into the world to represent the government of God. Now you’re…

"It’s important that you have a proper worldview. See I didn’t have a prop… I had no worldview… My worldview was "it was rotten, let it drop off."

"My worldview now is that God’s intention through the gospel is to disciple nations.

"Hand out tracts. Testify to your neighbors.

"But remember the girth, the breadth, the expanse of the Great Commission is not a few neighbors or a few down and outers, but God is after the nations and He’ll not be content until the nations bow." [All emphases added]

The Dominionist Worldview

Did you get "hooked" by the lure of the biblical-sounding speech at the beginning of this transcript? What you found out at the end of this segment is that this "worldview" is pure dominionism! The full "agenda" is explained at http://tinyurl.com/grgl8.

In fact, this www.swissamerica.com website represents an amalgamation of the worst aspects of the newly arising convergence of the various dominionism sects (see "Dominionism and the Rise of Christian Imperialism" posted at http://www.discernment-ministries.org for an explanation of this). At this website one can invest in precious metals (marketplace transformation), while getting a full dose of patriotic dominionism, along with a mission emphasis on setting up the "kingdom" globally. If the lure of buying gold isn't enough to appeal to your flesh (worldliness), then the more altruistic goals may entice you. Craig R. Smith calls this a "convergence":

"To celebrate the new millennium and foster widespread participation in the ongoing convergenceof thekingdom of God, Swiss America, Open Church Ministries, and Strategic Christian Resources have combined audio resources compiled over the last decade to produce, 'The Big Picture - The Shape of Things To Come on Planet Earth.'" [http://tinyurl.com/kpnso] [emphasis added]

The "Big Picture" includes a line-up of leaders representating all three dominionist sects -- mission, patriotic and signs and wonders [http://www.myideafactory.net/leaders.html]. James Rutz has been pulling together big names from all three sects since the mid-1990s, when his book The Open Church, which laid the groundwork for the switchover to the new apostolic governance structure, came out. This "strange bedfellows" list is the latest example of many lists, dating back to the heyday of Jay Grimstead's Coalition on Revival, that link the more staid Reconstructionist (and patriotic) dominionists with the wild and wacky "signs and wonders" New Apostolic Reformation.

David Bradshaw calls this new-found convergence "fusion":

"Time for Prophetic Fusion"In the coming days, months and years we will see a fusion of Christians, groups and churches who recognize that they have the same spiritual genetic code." [http://tinyurl.com/zlmj8]

The phrase "same spiritual genetic code" means that everyone is on the same page in terms of their "worldview." The term "spiritual DNA" is frequently used by mission groups to refer to this concept.

Rutz's latest book MEGASHIFT: Igniting Spiritual Power, is representative of the latest heresies emerging from the New Apostolic Reformation -- that man can overcome the consequences of the Fall in the Garden of Eden, bypass Judgment Day (by wielding the rod of judgment on Earth through apostolic/prophetic authority), and restore Paradise (the "Genesis 1 mandate"). Rutz wrote of this new doctrine for WorldNetDaily, a neo-conservative web news service run by Joseph Farah (who claims to have been healed as a result of Rutz's talk of miracles at http://tinyurl.com/7tdeh):

"Here is what it all means: The lockdown of the common man has come to an abrupt end. Many of the limitations your ancestors endured for centuries are now fading into the bleak and brutal past. The resurrections are only the most obvious evidence of a megashift in the functioning of eager-hearted believers whom the book of Revelation calls 'overcomers.'

"The recent changes in the quality of human life are profound. God is pouring His grace and power into people in ways not seen before. I don't expect that most Christians will be doing miracles on a daily basis, but a radically new Christian lifestyle now spreading around the globe will soon dramatically enable you to upgrade your own way of living." ("The most startling development in world history," http://tinyurl.com/j56vr, May 24, 2005)

The Truth:

"But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." (Gal. 6:14)"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." (1 John 3:1-3)

About Me

Check your daily "HERESCOPE." Herescope is an online journal revealing heresies and false teachings affecting the church today. Copyright 2005-2017 held by the author, IRG, Inc., or Discernment Ministries, Inc. unless otherwise noted. Herescope is a term coined by Lynn Leslie literally meaning "scoping out a heresy." Herescope began as a regular magazine column in The Christian Conscience magazine published during 1995-1998 by IRG, Inc. The Discernment Research Group is an ad hoc fellowship of Christian researchers with roots dating back to 1985. For more articles, books, and newsletters go to http://www.discernment-ministries.org.